The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-11-04
THE MACON INCIDENT.
ihkeS u Charitable Wow OF tho Jsr Davis
Ovation, but says Nothing OF the rreas.
oUable Speech Made by Ex.AIinislor
Jachson- - Evidently did not Nons It,

NAanvlLLE. TENN, Nov. 3.-Mr. G. W
Clifford, gentleman well known 10 bust
negs mon Of Nashville and Tennessee, wa
present at too reunion OF ex Coniodosatev
at Macon, Ga, which President Davis at
tended, and stood within iow feet OF hin
during tho scenes OF tho review OF which
tho Northern Republican p1ecs have hat
GO much to say. Mr.. GiSord located Ii
Nashville ut tho close OF the war and has
been q member oil ono OF tho lnrgee,
Tholosale firms in tho city.-McAIliuter,
Clifford 4 %. At present he 10 general
agent for Tennessee and southern Ken.
lucky OF tesoral large manufacturing con.
Germs. Mt. Clifford Is pronounced Re.
publican aud en- ex.Union soldier. He ;s
a member Of George II. Thomas Post No,
!, 6. A. r. He has Just returned from
Georgia, and IN an interview last after.
noon, ho said:
~ have 10 deeire to parade my name in
print nor seOk 10 be oiflcious. thrust that
those who know me do not regard mo ga a
sensation aeeker or maker, but ! feel It
my duty ss an American Citizsn to pro.
test aGains. the wrong which is being
done the peoplo OF tho South, aud mora
particularly OF Georgis, in publications
which arc being made by leading journals
ol my party in regard to the conduct oil
tho ex.ConiederGtes at the Macon re-.
union and the conduct of Dir. Davis.
Every man wEo kDoTg mo knoEB that I
was Union aoltier and have slTays been
q firm Republican in poliiics. II ia true
that tho alleged ircdsng which are mads
tho bssja OF this assault By tho northern
and eaa.ern psoss occurred in Georgia, but
the assault has widoned until 1t Ia thought
to reflect upon the loyalty CT tho whole
South l Was In Macon reg,ly r. wees
from Friday night to Saturday morning Of
tho next week. WAS there en- bpeinsse.
but met many old iri0nds among OK. Con.
tedesates. was never 90 royalty enter.
sslned In my lille. They knew that WAS
Union veteran, but that made 90 differ
ence. Soma OF tho boys who used to
wear the gray asked mo why I did not
wear my grand army bsjgo, saying they
theirs.
II lsaw aisw Confederate flags on rriys,e
buildings, but | wish to say tha. did not
eco sinylo Confsdsrats flag on house,
which WAS rot surrounded by acores OF
national flags. Tho nsticusl ccIors ga.e
flying in all directions. l nsvee esw them
so handsomely and numerously displayad
before in my Ills. The occasion vas q
reunion o!, o!,ex-Confedorate1 to greet their
old PfeBidsnt before he died, and IVES
not surprised to find these Confederate
u wsg standing w!!hia ton Ieet OF Mr..
DaT:s Oh the front porch OF Col. Johnson's
sesLtonco when the meeting bstweon him
snd the Confederate veterans, about
which 10 much misrepresentation has
baeN made, occurred. EaW thu chair
brought ont aud the old man tako bis eeat
IN 1t. Bis vile and dauzhteIg were with
him. Mr.. Davis whs very iufem, ono
could aee ct T. slsaca; he was much exc;t-
ed ard Go weak that bis isniily nnd friends
feared the effect OF the trying ordeal Oh
him.
"Wheu tho head OF the column entered
the yard and advancing 10 The railing OF
the porch begged to shake hands with
him, his vile and daughters took hold of
his arms and begged him to keop hig pest,
reminding him OF his tesb!e condition.
They we're ovideatly a.nrmod about him
and viewed hia e1citemen. with undis.
gnlaet ttepidisioc. While they were i'm.
plo:;Tc him to bo calm and remain where
no WAS the tiag was pushed forward to the
railing. Mrs. Davis leaned forward, and
pluckiug shred from its torn and bat
teroa folds. fell back III her chair, and,
putting her hands to her lace, began to
weep. Tho 5eeEc vas ouch that no man
could have resisted ita pathoa.
"The old man knew he was in the pres-
encs os thoee who had once followed him
and wero nov bidding him Gu earthly
ta1oTsil. Not On eye in thst vast Assem-.
bly, WAS dry. Msn vept, yesj but their
tears were not disloyal to the Union, but
forced from them by tho ssdnsRe OF the
acere. Union coldisrs who were there
went ard wCro not Ashamed CT their emo
t!on. 1t was in this excitement. TINT tho
tlsg wal rushed forward. After the scene
of hi5 kissing it, which has been reportsd,
|. was quietly borne away and not shred
waO taken from i! except that BIZ Mrs.
Davis. walked among thousands Of ex.
Oen.ederates at Msooa aud talked with
huudreds, aud | declare with all sincerity
and truthfIlness that did no. zee Or hear
q slNSls thing which indicated any anssp.
onisn CT the Union"